


A Song of Healing

by sunatsubu



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts, Survivor Guilt, past unrequited zelda/link, siren-like zora, speaking link, zora as a secretive mostly undiscovered species
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23906203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunatsubu/pseuds/sunatsubu
Summary: According to rumor there existed a rare, magical shell that when put up against the ear, a beautiful, ethereal song could be heard instead of the ocean. The lesser known rumor was that upon hearing this unworldly song, one would mysteriously disappear without a trace before the new moon.Link had never come across these rumors. All he knew was that when he listened to that hauntingly beautiful voice, he could blissfully forget everything, if only for a short while.
Relationships: Link/Prince Sidon
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	A Song of Healing

**Author's Note:**

> Sorta inspired by this prompt, though I misread it but still got some ideas from it anyway:
> 
> As long as you remember, you’ve had a sea shell that you’ve put up against your ear. The sound of the ocean does not greet you. Instead, sad whispers, mundane words, and ominous chanting greet you. You sometimes entertain the thought of throwing the shell away, but the occasional singing that welcomes you stays your hand.  
> https://fanficpromptsandideas.tumblr.com/post/159980135283/as-long-as-you-remember-youve-had-a-sea-shell

  
Link had never had any particularly affinity for the ocean before. To him, it was just a part of the landscape – as exciting, hence mundane, as the mountains, grasslands, or desert. The only special note of it that he ever made was that he was never a particularly strong swimmer, and so he could probably more easily die in the ocean than anywhere else.

Now, it was for that special note that he found himself in front of the ocean every night. He’d let his gaze wander over the crashing waves, barely discernible in the darkness but for the white lines of foam gleaming in the moonlight. He’d envision himself walking forward, wading into the ice cold waters, walking walking until his feet could no longer feel the sand and the cold enveloped him completely. He’d imagine the salt water stinging his open eyes, the burn in his lungs, the moonlight through the water’s surface diminishing as he sank deeper and deeper into the sea. He’d imagine the final darkness, and the ensuing peace.

When he was done imagining he’d open his eyes, unclench his fists, and turn away from the water. He’d slowly walk up the sand, down the path, and trod through a couple forests to return to his silent empty home.

But one night, his routine was interrupted. Link blinked down at a rather beautiful shell, half buried in the wet sand. He reached down to dig it out, and pondered why it seemed so beautiful. There was nothing particularly special about it. White on the outside, pale creamy pink on the inside, it looked like any number of shells he’d seen on this very beach. Perhaps it did seem to glow almost unnaturally in the moonlight, but that was hardly reason for why he felt so drawn to such a small insignificant little thing.

It was no explanation indeed for why he felt the sudden urge to lift it to his ear. But he did. Then he heard a song so beautiful, it brought tears to his eyes and an ache in his heart. And Link _felt_ for the first time in years.

  


* * *

  


He continued to visit the ocean every night. His routine stayed mostly unchanged, still standing just shy of the water, watching the ocean waves gently lap at the shore. But now, instead of imagining his body succumbing to the cold wet darkness, Link simply lifted the shell to his ear and allowed the beautiful song to fill his mind, bringing with it a pleasant fog that muffled all conscious thought. It was sweet, blissful, oblivious peace.

If he could, he would stand there forever. But the music always subsided after an hour or so, and he’d be forced to return to his own thoughts. To avoid _that_ , Link would focus then on the simpler physical discomfort of standing in the cold air for so long without moving. Stiffly he’d stretch his legs and make his way back home.

This mysterious little shell very quickly became his most precious possession. Which he supposed, wasn’t exactly hard since there wasn’t any other physical object he treasured anymore. His sword probably didn’t count since it served more as a painful but necessary reminder of promises past ( _which he shouldn’t have had to make, it was **unfair** of her to make him say_). So he kept the little shell in his pocket always, unwilling to part with it even during daytime when no music came forth. 

It was probably a magical item of some kind. Perhaps something leftover and forgotten by the Koroks, for they certainly seemed to use some kind of magic when they created some of their little puzzles. He didn’t really care. All that really mattered was that it brought him the tiniest sliver of peace every night. 

So desperate now was he to return to that peace, that he’d even started sleeping most of his days away, such that nighttime would come even sooner. 

On the sixth (or was it seventh?) night since he’d found the shell, Link stumbled to his usual spot on the beach. He briefly wondered why he felt so weak, then realized he’d forgotten to eat for the past few days. Sighing heavily, he looked around for something to nibble on, at least to get him through this night. 

He was just considering fashioning himself a fishing rod when something caught his eye. Link froze, eyes focusing on where he knew there were some rocks jutting out of the water not too far from the shore. On any other night, he may have missed it, but tonight was a new moon, and so what gazed back at him was unmistakable in the pitch black darkness. Those were definitely a pair of bright yellow eyes. 

A tiny rush of fear jumped through him, a mere instinctive reflex that was quickly overcome with curiosity. Even half starved and without his sword, Link knew there was little in this world that could easily get the best of him ( _only one thing really that could and it was gone along with **her**_ ) so it was with caution more for whatever the creature was than for himself that he slowly crept forward, crouching low to appear small and nonthreatening. 

The eyes seemed to blink a few times upon noticing his approach, but didn’t move. Link may have imagined it but they seemed to watch him with curiosity. Slowly but surely, he crawled through the shallow water, ignoring the cold. 

He didn’t know why he himself was so curious. It was like the shell; he hadn’t felt interested in _anything_ for years, then all of a sudden a magical shell and mysterious yellow eyes drew him in like moth to a flame. 

Now only a few arms length away from those eyes, Link slowed to a stop, still crouched low. He resisted the urge to violently shiver as the freezing water gently lapped at his neck, lest the sudden movement scare the creature away. 

“Hello?” Link ventured, more for the sake of expressing some form of greeting than out of expectation of a response. He winced as his voice came out as a dry croak. It had been years since he’d spoken a single word, so his throat was not happy at the sudden attempt. 

Perhaps those eyes weren’t so happy either, as they suddenly drew back. Link felt an unexplainable panic rush through him, and he barely managed to restrain himself from lunging forward. “Wait, please! Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.” 

To his surprise a deep chuckle emanated from the shell in his pocket. In wonder, he took it out, feeling the vibrations of a beautiful voice that now spoke instead of sang. “I am not afraid.” 

Link brought the shell closer to his face so that he could easily watch both it and the eyes at the same time. For there was no mistake; somehow, the yellow eyed creature was speaking to him through the shell. Knowing the owner of such beautiful song was right in front of him, Link was determined to convince it to stay. “Then come out.” 

The deep voice hummed. “Then _you_ will be afraid.” 

Link felt his lips tug upwards, then marveled at the foreign sensation. First speaking, now smiling. This creature was drawing many firsts from him in years, and he didn’t even know yet what it looked like beyond those unblinking yellow eyes. “No, I won’t.” He reassured, for it was most definitely the truth. He had already faced his worst nightmares. There was nothing in this world that could frighten him anymore. 

The eyes watched him for a long moment, and Link found himself holding his breath. Finally, they moved closer, stopping only an arms length away, before slowly beginning to rise. 

And rise, and rise, and rise. Link rose as well to stand to his own full height, distantly noting that he didn’t really feel all that cold anymore, despite standing in the frigid night air still soaking wet. His attention however was mostly fixed upwards to gawk up at the strangest creature he’d ever seen, or at the moment, could barely see thanks to the pitch black darkness of the night. It was only by the faint glow from those yellow eyes that he could _just_ discern a hint of red and white scales, and perhaps a flash of silver scales or jewelry. 

Ah, but it was those teeth that really drew his gaze, those razor sharp points practically gleaming on their own. Link found himself smiling again at his earlier presumption that this massive, fearsome looking thing could possibly be the one to be afraid of him. 

A deep voice chuckled again, and Link watched, mesmerized, as the sound now came directly through those gleaming teeth instead of his shell. “Ah, you did not speak false. You are definitely not afraid of me.” 

“Nor you, of me.” Link continued to take in those bright yellow eyes, noting the slit-like pupils not unlike a cat. “Who...what are you?” 

The creature seemed to hesitate, and Link belatedly wondered if maybe he’d been too forward, too fast. The least he could’ve done was introduce himself first, for Goddess’s sake! Though his rudeness could probably be excused considering it had been years since he’d interacted with any living thing that wasn’t food, this creature didn’t exactly know that. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean -” 

“My name is Sidon. I am a Zora.” 

Link blinked, his rambling apology abruptly cut off. As his brain finally processed what he’d heard, he smiled again – what a record! 

“I’m Link. It’s nice to meet you, Sidon. You have a beautiful voice.” 

Bright yellow eyes widened in surprise, flashing oddly. Link opened his mouth to ask another question when he abruptly remembered he was still soaking wet, standing in ice cold water in the middle of the night, and starving from several days’ lack of food. He reeled back, eyes shut, the cold and hunger suddenly hitting him like a charging Lynel. 

He didn’t even remember hitting the water. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ooooh boy I haven't written serious fanfic in forever; definitely taking some getting used to again. And yes...I did kinda steal a scene from Maleficent for this chapter. I thought it was very fitting for the scenario :)
> 
> Hope everyone's doing alright during these fun quarantine times, at least it got me to start writing again after over a decade..


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